Ayanangsha Maitra
New Delhi, Thursday: “When a woman goes to a diplomatic reception, she is very often assumed to be the spouse. A gentleman, on the other hand, is automatically presumed to be the ambassador,” Diana Mickevičienė, Ambassador of Lithuania to India, delivered one of the most striking observations during a gender panel on Thursday in the national capital. At a powerful and candid discussion hosted by the Chintan Research Foundation under the theme “Sashakt Nari, Viksit Bharat,” women ambassadors and high commissioners posted in Delhi tore into the persistent gender stereotypes that continue to shadow diplomacy — even in 2026. “About 30 women Ambassadors (or High Commissioners) are deputed in New Delhi as heads of mission,” Shishir Priyadarshi, President of the Chintan Research Foundation, stated while moderating the power session on gender.
Ambassador Mickevičienė’s remark drew knowing nods across the gathering. She underscored that women remain a significant minority in diplomatic services globally. While “humans make mistakes,” she said, errors by women are far more likely to be judged through a gendered lens.
“Gender should not be relevant. Yet in certain situations, it leaves a mark.”
She also contrasted domestic expectations in Europe, noting that nearly 90% of women manage household responsibilities without domestic help—while equal sharing of household work by men remains limited.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi delivered the keynote address at the conference “Sashakt Nari, Viksit Bharat. ”
Offering a contrasting regional perspective, Mahishini Colonne, the saree-clad High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, highlighted the growing presence of women in her country’s foreign service. Sri Lanka has had a female Foreign Minister and is now seeing more women diplomats, a growing number of women MPs, and strong public trust in women’s leadership, Colonne said in the houseful forum.
Mary Mutuku, Kenya’s Deputy Head of Mission to New Delhi, spoke bluntly about the invisible burden women diplomats carry.
“Most women have to do extra — much more than their male counterparts — just to be seen and heard.”
She described the need to be “selective” and strategic in navigating diplomatic ecosystems that still default to male leadership norms.
“Real-life experience is everything,” she added, stressing that resilience is often forged outside formal structures.
Bringing in a generational dimension, Marje Luup, Ambassador of Estonia, argued that in diplomacy, age and experience still matter deeply — even in an era driven by digital transformation. Referring to Estonia’s global reputation in digital governance, she hinted that technological leadership does not automatically dismantle gender hierarchies.
Get real time update about this post category directly on your device, subscribe now.
